Memories
by IIangelofmusicII
Summary: Sometimes, they remember. It can be everyday. It can be once in a blue moon. But they never forget. Drabbles on the pasts of the Straw Hat crew. Rated K for some mild swearing. Rating may change. Spoilers up to New World: Shabaody Archipelago
1. Luffy

He thought about it every once in a while. The war. Ace. Akainu. Jinbe. Hancock. He remembered the glory. The glory that lasted 5 minutes. Maybe more. Maybe less. Who knows. He remembered running. He remembered the card. The sliver of a card. He remembered staring at Sakazuki's molten hand and wondering why it protruded out of Ace's stomach. He remembered clutching at the hole in his brother's back, clutching at the exploded tattoo that had once adorned his proud brother's back. He remembered the final words. And he remembered blacking out. Not being one to dwell on such things for too long, he often sprang back into action. Smiling, laughing, and chatting with his Nakama. But it was during these times. When their captain did not smile, nor laugh, nor chat that his crew worried for him most.


	2. Zoro

He didn't think about it often. But when he did, it hit him hard. The slip. The news. He remembered the funeral. A soft rain, pouring onto the faces of mourners. He remembered the promise. That one would be the best. The dreams. The growth. The fights. The duels. It was too much to bear. It flooded him. Like a tsunami washing over his entire mind, pulling and tugging him away. On these blue moons, he would find himself in the crow's nest, sobbing and weeping until he had cried himself dry. No one else knew. He thought. But she heard. During these blue moons, she placed her eyes in ears in the crow's nest. She did not tell anyone else though; what she saw. He was proud, and entitled to his pain. She would let him have his moments of weakness.


	3. Nami

She thought about is sometimes. The regret that had knotted in her stomach that day. Never to be untied until many years later. She remembered the hulking fish men. She remembered Arlong's pointed features. She remembered the blood of her mother. And the cries of Genzo-san. She remembered the tears streaming down her face. Her sister holding her tight. She remembered them taking her away. And forcing her to make maps. She remembered the day she came home with the dark blue tattoo. She remembered the disapproving look on their faces. When she told them she was working for him. It wasn't her fault. She remembered the countless nights she spent looting. And the days she spent stealing. And the cuts and bruises that had accumulated on her skin. She wasn't one to be mopey; there were too many maps to be made. She often immersed herself in them, not talking to anyone for days. But when she just stared out the window like that, it was hard not to be concerned.


	4. Usopp

He didn't remember him leaving. He was much too young. But his mother told him stories go his great father. "A proud man." she had always said "Loyal to his captain". "His captain?" Usopp had asked. "Yes." said his mother with nostalgia "Your father is a pirate, you see." And ever since then, he had always aspired to become a great man of the sea, just like his father. But then he remembered her getting sick. And he remembered the start of his lies. "Pirates! Pirates are coming!" he would scream, running through the village like a madman. He ran to his mother's bed side and told her "Pirates are here!", to which she would laugh and hold him close to her and say "No, my sweet. He is not coming." Day after day, it had become a routine. He remembered how sick and tired the villagers were of it. And how they would yell at him. But he didn't care. He had to keep her spirits up. And then she died. Not out of the blue. He remembered knowing for a while her strength was fading, but hadn't really considered it a possibility. He remembered his devastation. And then he remembered Kaya. Bed-ridden Kaya, who had nothing to do but sit and stare at the wall all day. So he told her stories. Of giant men and carnivorous plants. Of islands in the sky and seas creatures who were half human and half fish. So when he had to give up the Going Merry, her last gift to him, it was possibly the hardest thing he had ever done. But he knew she would understand.


	5. Sanji

He thought about it all the time. His mantra floated around in his head every day. 'Never waste food. Never waste food. Make the most of what you have.'. And always, without fail, it would stir up memories. He remembered the island. No, not an island. A rock. He remembered rationing his share. He remembered feeling his hollow cheeks, and touching his sunken eyes. He remembered watching himself waste away. He remembered thinking of the old geezer, gorging himself on a feast. He remembered the confrontation, and the shock that followed. He remembered the excitement of the opening ceremony. He remembered the christening of the Baratie. He would never cry about it. He had much too much to cook (Luffy ate enough for 100 men). He remembered with fondness, love, and nostalgia, but never regret.


	6. Chopper

He thought about it when he was treating someone in critical condition. Not knowing if they'd make it, he promised to always remember them. He remembered his old mentor's words, and guarded them close in his heart. He wouldn't allow himself to cry in front of his patients, but inside he was dying. He remembered the rejection. And the looks on the children's faces as he approached. He remembered the first time he really felt accepted. Only to have that ruined by that loser of a king, Wapol. He remembered his heartbreak, and Doctorine's harsh words. He remembered healing his heartbreak, and Doctorine's words of praise when he had mastered yet another practice. He tried to disguise it. But it turned out that he's an open book to the rest of the crew. He doesn't mind though. It's easier to be open about it than to hide it and let it eat away at him when he broke down.


	7. Robin

She would never tell the crew how hard it was. They had already suffered too much for her. She wasn't unhappy, but it was difficult. Being the last of her people. She remembered the days when her aunt abused her. The screams were terrifying to her young mind. Had she done something wrong? She remembered them calling her 'Devil Child'. Was she a demon? There were so many questions that weren't answered. She remembered finding the library. An alcove of here very own. She remembered the dusty tomes, and the faint script of the ancients. She remembered Saul. How his big laugh seemed to shake her insides. And how he had always managed to make her smile. She remembered the attack. The Buster Call that brought her world crashing down. She remembered seeing her mother for the first time in years. She remembered the look on Aokiji's face when he froze his old friend. When he told her of a debt he felt must be paid. When he paved her road to safety. She remembered the streets. And the people who took her in. She remembered growing up in hatred. Never to find the friends Saul had promised her. She thought about it everyday. She saw her mother in the mirror, encouraging her every step of the way. She saw Saul in her friends, reminding her to laugh. And in those small moments of pleasure, she saw a side of herself she previously believed she didn't have.


	8. Franky

div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"He would think about it as he tinkered. The techniques had been drilled into his mind. He would never admit it, but he had hung on to every single word Tom had said. He remembered the tough hands working the machinery, being the same hands carving details into the walls of his mentor's newest creation. How fascinating it had been. He remembered his interest in making anything other than battleships coming as a shock to him. He remembered the project. And the failed attempts. And he remembered the celebration when it was finally complete. He remembered the sound of cannons. HIS cannons. And the anger that quickly overrode the shock. He remembered the judge's decision. And how Puffing Tom carried his mentor away. He tried stopping it, but it was too late. He remembered building himself a new body. And he remembered his underground family. It was so hard to let them go. But he had to see the Sunny go all the way through to the end. And so, as he worked, he thought of his mentor, and was proud to say that he was following in Tom's footsteps./div 


	9. Brook

When the nights were slow, and the days drew to a close, he would recall the baby whale's high calls and low timbers. How perfectly they had harmonized together; him on his violin and Laboon on vocals. How the soft notes drifted into the night, lulling the crew to sleep. He remembered with nostalgia. Utter, pure, nostalgia. 80 years was too long. Much too long. He remembered the crew crossing the Red Line. And losing their way in the Florian Triangle. He remembered the crew's number being reduced slowly until only he remained. He remembered searching furiously for his body. And finally finding it. The shock was unbearable. And then the wait. Day after day. Month after month. Year after year. Decade after decade. He would never call these memories up into his mind. They were much too boring. It was his resolve to never let a boring day affect the crew, and if he himself remembered the monotony, it would reflect in his music. So he remembered Laboon. And how close they were to meeting once more. Only half more to go.


	10. End

They remembered the good. The bad. The sad. The happy. The fear. The contentment. They would never forget. The people. The islands. The adventures. It's what made them who they are. It's what their character was built on. And lest they forget, their memories will continue to grow.


End file.
